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A.. J. OBHRING- a A. L. TUCKER.

PROSGBNIUM CURTAIN FOR THEATERS'.

' ,Patented Peb. 25, 1896.

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UNITED STATES AU VlUST J. OEIIRING AND ALBERT L.

PATENT OFFICE.

TUCKER, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS-

SIGNORS TO THE VESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,115, dated February 25, 1896.

Application filed May 13, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat we, AUGUST J. OEHRING and ALBERT L. TUCKER,citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Proscenium-Curtains for Theaters, Oehring Case No. i), Tucker Case No. 2,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawin gs,forming a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to a proscenium-curtain for theaters, and its object is the pro- 5 vision of a curtain that shall open from the center simultaneously toward the four sides.

Our linvention in its preferred form comprises a pair of horizontally-moving curtains adapted, when closed, to rest with their edges in contact near the middle of the prosceniu 1nopening, and a pair of vertically-sliding curtains also adapted to rest with their edges in contact, the edges likewise occupying a position near the middle of the opening, means being provided for simultaneously separating the pairs of curtains, whereby the opening, beginning at the center, enlarges toward the four sides.

Our invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view illustrative of our invention, looking toward the rear of the curta-in. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a View of a stage-proscenium provided with curtains after the manner of our invention, the curtains being shown in a partially-opened position.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures.

The lower edge of the upper vertically-slming curtain, a, is secured to a cross-piece ed adapted to slide in guides a2, the curtain passing upward over roller as and winding about the drum CL4. Likewise the edge of the lower curtain, l), is secured to a cross-piece h', the curtain passing downward over a roller h3 and winding about a drum b4. Cords b5 h5 are at, tached to the cross-piece b', extend upward 5o and over pulleys h6, weights 117 being provided upon the ends of the cords to maintain the serai N5. 549,137. (No model.)

curtain Z) taut. When the rollers at b4 are rotated to wind thereon the curtains, the crosspieces a and b are moved respectively up and down, traveling in the vertical guide a?. v W'hen the drums are rotated in an opposite direction the curtains are unwound therefrom and the weight of cross-piece a serves to return the upper curtain to its closed position, while the weights D7 serve to return the lower curtain to its closed position. The drum a4 is mounted in bearings c c, a wheel c being provided upon the shaft c2 upon which said drum is mounted, whereby power may be applied to rotate the drum. Upon said shaft c2 is provided a bevel-gear c3, meshing with a bevel-gear c4, provided upon the vertical shaft d, which rotates in bearings d d'. Upon the lower end of shaft d is provided a bevel-gear d2, adapted to mesh with bevel-gear (Z3 provided upon the end of shaft (Z4, upon which shaft d'1 is mounted the lower drum bt. Upon the shaft c2 at the opposite end of the drum a4 is provided a bevel-gear c, meshing with bevel-gear c/ provided upon the vertical shaft c2, which rotates in bearings c3 c3. Vhen shaft c2 is rotated to rotate the drum a4, the druml b4 is rotated in an opposite direction through the agency of the shaft d and the meshing bevel-gears. Then the shaft c2 is rotated in one direction both curtains are wound upon their drums, while, when the rotation is in the opposite direction, both curtains are unwound from their drums.

The horizontally-sliding curtain f is supported from carriages f f2 provided with wheels j'4 which travel upon the track f5. Likewise the horizontally-sliding curtain gis supported from carriages g g2 provided with wheels g3 g'l traveling upon the track f5. To one of the carriages, as f2, is attached a rope 7L which passes around the pulley 7L provided upon the vertical shaft e2, then passes around a pulley h2 turning loosely in its bearing h3, the opposite end of the rope being attached to the opposite side of said carriage f2. Vhen the shaft e2 is rotated in one direction the rope h is caused to travel to move the carriage f2 to the left, thereby moving the curtain f to the left to open the same. NVhen the direction of rotation is reversed rope h is caused to travel in the opposite direction, thereby IOO moving the curtain to the right to close the same.

ln the saine manner one of the carriages of the curtain g is connected by means oil rope i passing over the pulley t" provided upon shaft d and over the loosely-running pulley i2 mounted in bearing fig. The gearing between the vertical shafts d and c2 and the d rivin g-shait c2 is such that said shafts d and c2 rotate in opposite directions, so that the curtains are moved either toward or from one another to open or close the same. The looselymounted pulleys 71,2 and i2 are preferably so mounted that they may be moved back and Vforth to properly adjust the tension of the ropes passing over the same. l

It will thus be seen that when the drivingshaft c2 is rotated in one direction, say to wind up the vertically-sliding curtains, the vertical shafts (l and c2 arc rotating in such a direction as to separate the horizontal]y-sliding curtains, and vice versa. Thus in opening the perpcndicularly-nioving pair ol' eurtains forni a rectangular opening in the middle of the prosceniunl ,which,as the movement of the curtains continues, increases in dimension, the opening being thus simultaneously formed toward the t'our sides. Ii the proscenium be oblong in shape, one pair of curtains may be made to separate at a different rate from the other pair, the rates being so adjusted that the opening will at all times be of the proper oblong shape.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a pair ot' verticallyniovirg curtains, adapted to rest with their edges in contact, ol a pair of horizontallymoving curtains adapted to rest with their edges in contact, and means for simultaneously separating the members of the two pairs of curtains; whereby the curtain, as a whole, is opened from the center outward, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a pair of verticallymoving curtains adapted to rest with their edges in contact, of drums about which said curtains are adapted to be wound to separate the saine, a pair o1' horizont-ally-slidilig curtains, adapted to rest with their edges in contact, and means for separating said horizontally-sliding curtains and siniultaneousl y rotating said drums to wind the curtains thereon whereby the curtain, as a whole, opened from the center outward, substantially as described.

The combination with a vertically-Inoving curtain, of a drum to which the upper end of the same is secured, a cross-piece secured to the lower end adapted to travel in a verl ical guide, a second vertically-movable curtain, a cross-piece secured to the upper end thereof, adapted to travel in said vertical guide, a drinn to which the lower en d el' said curtain is secured, means for rotating said drums to wind rthe curtains thereon or to unwind the same therefrom, a pair oil' horizontally-sliding curtains, and, means for separating the same simultaneously with the rotai ion of said drums,whereby the curtain, as a whole, is opened from the center outward.

ln witness whereof we hereunto subscribe our names this 22d day ol September, A, l lSfl-l.

AUGUST il. OlClll-lNtf. ALBERT 'L Tltl( ICI-. Witnesses W. CLYDE J'oNns, Gnocca L. CRA-icc. 

